WEBVTT SOLEDAD: THE LATEST GALLUP POLL ON PRESIDENT TRUMP'S APPROVAL REPUBLICANS THINK THE PRESIDENT IN THE POLL, TAKEN AFTER THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS, 91% APPROVE OF THE PRESIDENT'S JOB PERFORMANCE. THAT'S COMPARED WITH JUST 38% OF ALL VOTERS. BUT SOME PROMINENT REPUBLICANS DEFINITELY DISAPPROVE AND AFTER TRUMP WAS ELECTED, THEY LEFT THE PARTY. INCLUDING GEORGE WILL, A PULITIZER PRIZE-WINNING COLUMNIST AND LONGTIME DEFENDER OF THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT. AND BESTSELLING AUTHOR, MAX BOOT, WHO WAS A LIFELONG REPUBLICAN. UNTIL PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS ELECTE BOOT EXPLAINS HIS DECISION I HIS NEW BOOK, "THE CORROSION OF CONSERVE TIM: WHY I LEFT THE G.O.P.." ME. SOLEDAD: MAX BOOT, NICE TO HAVE YOU. SO OUR RELATIONSHIP STARTED WITH A TWEET AND IT WAS NOT AS IT USED TO. I THINK WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP NOW. WE'VE TWEETED AND MY STUDENTS. THAT'S ACTUALLY LIKE NEXTSTEP CONTROVERSIAL TO ACTUALLY ABSOLUTELY GO AND TELL YOU HAD WRITTEN ABOUT THIS EPIPHANY AND LEAVING THAT LED YOU TO LEAVE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. I THINK IT WAS IN FOREIGN POLICY MAGAZINE. YOU GOT THAT RIGHT. AND WHEN I ANSWERED BACK TO YOU THAT SAID I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS GUTSY THAT I THOUGHT ACTUALLY THAT YOU'D BEEN OBLIVIOUS TO BASIC EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR AND THEN YOU KIND OF PUT THE WHOLE THING IN YOUR YOUR BOOK SO I GUESS I SORT OF APPRECIATE THAT KIND OF SORT OF. WHAT WAS THE THING -- WAS THERE ONE THING THAT MADE YOU SAY I NEED TO LEAVE THIS PARTY. MAX: IT WAS THE RISE OF DONALD TRUMP AND HIS RISE REALLY OPENED MY EYES TO A LOT OF THINGS INCLUDING STUFF AS YOU POINTED OUT THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MO WARE OF EARLIER ON. BUT I WAS IN A FAIRLY TRIBAL OR PARTISAN BUNKER UP UNTIL THE RISE OF DONALD TRUMP AND SO WHEN PEOPLE FOR EXAMPLE SAID THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WAS D WHISTLE AND I BECAME TO LOUD THAT I COULD NOT DENY IT. AND IT JARRED ME OUT OF MY PARTISAN BUBBLE TO REALIZE WHAT WAS GOING O SOLEDAD: SO WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON I MEAN IS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY JUST PEOPLE WHO ARE FINE WITH THE WOLF WHISTLES OF OF RACISM AND XENOPHOBI HOW WOULD YOU ASSESS IT? >> WELL, I WOULDN'T SAY THAT ALL REPUBLICANS AR RACIST. BUT WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT FOR ALL REPUBLICANS WHO STILL SUPPORT DONALD TRUMP HIS OVERT RACISM IS NOT A DISQUALIFIER. THEY DON'T VIEW IT AS A MAKE OR BREAK ISSUE AND THAT IS VERY SAD. SOLEDAD: WHEN DID THE .COMDO THEIR AUTOPSY? >> IN 2012 WHEN THEY CONCLUDED THEY NEEDED TO LURE MORE MINORITIES. SOLEDAD: WHAT HAPPENED? >> WELL, I THINK YOU HAVE TO GIVE DONALD TRUMP CREDIT. I MEAN HE DOES HAVE A TALENT AS A SALESMAN. AND HE WAS AMERICAN ELECTORATE AND REALIZE THAT HE COULD SQUEEZE VOTES OUT OF BASICALLY ANGRY OLD WHITE PEOPLE. AND THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO TEND TO NOTHE VOTE. SOLEDAD: NEVER TRUMPERS. LINDSAY GRAHAM, HE ONCE SAID DONALD TRUMP IS A RACE BAITING XENOPHOBIC BIGOT. AND NOW WELL NOW IN ADDITION TO ALL THE LOVE AND GOLF THAT HE HAS FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP HE SAYS I'VE NEVER HEARD HIM MAKE A RACIST STATEMENT. EXPLAIN. >> IT'S IN-- INEXPLICABLE. EXCEPT IT JUST REFLECTS THE LUST FOR POWER THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE IN WASHINGTON HAVE. I MEAN YOU CAN RUN DOWN THOSE QUOTES. I MEAN YOU HAD THAT QUOTE FROM LINDSE -- THEY'RE STILL ENDORSING HI SOLEDAD: SO THERE IS A REPUBLICAN SENATOR IN MISSISSIPPI WHO'S UP FOR RE ELECTION AND SHE SAID THIS ABOUT A SUPPORTER. HER NAME IS CINDY ...CINDY HEIDI SMITH IF HE I'D BE ON THE FRONT ROW. AND SHE LATER SAID THAT THAT WAS AN EXPRESSION OF REGARD FOR THE PERSON. BUT SHE'S LITERALLY DESCRIBING A LYNCHING IN MISSISSIPPI AND HER OPPONENT IS BLACK 6. >> YOU'VE ALWAYS SAD THESE THINGS. IT'S AN AMERICAN SOCIETY. WHAT'S CHANGED NOW IS THAT DONALD TRUMP IS BRICKING THEM OUT INTO THE OPEN AND IN PARTY, THEY'RE EMULATING H RACE-BAITING, IMMIGRANT BASHING EXAMPLE. SOLEDAD: ARE YOU A DEMOCRAT NOW? YOU NEED PEOPLE THEY SHOULD VOTE THAT WAY -- >> NO, I'M AN INDEPENDENT. I HAVE NOT JOINED THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY ALTHOUGH I TOLD EVERYBODY TO VOTE ON A PERCENT DEMOCRATIC BECAUSE I THINK THE ONLY WAY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WILL EVER COME TO ITS SENSES IS IF IT SUFFERS REPEATED AND DEVASTATING DEF

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Why A Lifelong Conservative Left the GOP

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Updated: 10:29 AM EST Nov 17, 2018

Max Boot was a lifelong Republican working hard to promote the conservative agenda. That was before President Trump and what he calls a “wolf whistle” of racist sentiments. Soledad O’Brien sits down with the best-selling author to discuss his decision.